Military officials announced Sunday that the body of a United States Army soldier who disappeared during training exercises in Morocco has been found in Atlantic Ocean waters. Search teams continue looking for a second missing servicemember.
The recovered remains belong to 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., age 27, who served as an Air Defense Artillery officer. Both soldiers fell from a cliff while hiking recreationally during their off-duty time in Morocco.
Both servicemembers were reported missing on May 2nd following their participation in African Lion, the annual international military training exercises conducted in Morocco.
According to U.S Army Europe and Africa, “A Moroccan military search team found the Soldier in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time May 9, within roughly one mile of where both Soldiers reportedly entered the ocean.”
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. in the vicinity of the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan-Tan, an area featuring mountainous terrain, desert landscapes, and semi-arid plains, Moroccan military sources reported.
The disappearance launched an extensive rescue mission involving more than 600 search personnel from the United States, Morocco, and allied military partners. The operation has utilized naval frigates, various watercraft, helicopters, and unmanned aircraft.
A U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously due to authorization restrictions, confirmed that search operations will persist for the second missing soldier.
The official explained that American personnel stayed in Morocco beyond the conclusion of the multinational exercises on Friday to maintain operational oversight and support ongoing rescue efforts.
Key served with Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, according to U.S Army Europe and Africa.
His educational background included a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina, along with additional studies in international business, entrepreneurship, and business administration. Key began his military career in 2023 as an officer candidate, receiving his commission in 2024 through Officer Candidate School as an Air Defense Artillery officer. He subsequently finished the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
The rescue mission, now entering its ninth day, has searched over 12,000 square kilometers of ocean and coastal areas, with approximately 3,000 additional square kilometers being covered daily.
The soldiers were participating in African Lion 26, a U.S.-directed exercise that began in April spanning Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal, involving more than 7,000 military personnel from over 30 countries. This exercise represents the largest joint U.S. military training operation on the African continent since its inception in 2004.
A previous tragedy occurred during these exercises in 2012, when two U.S. Marines lost their lives and two others sustained injuries in a helicopter accident in Agadir, Morocco’s southern region.
